Winter Haven Police: Armed Men Force Way Into House, Assault Occupant

Two Winter Haven men were arrested Tuesday after barreling into a house with handguns and assaulting a man in front of his two children, according to police.

By CLIFFORD PARODYTHE LEDGER

WINTER HAVEN | Two Winter Haven men were arrested Tuesday after barreling into a house with handguns and assaulting a man in front of his two children, according to police.Winter Haven police said Derrick Munson, 21, of 215 Ave. S N.E., and Juwane Smith, 20, of 2539 Sixth St. N.W., were both armed with handguns when they went to the front door of 24-year-old Timothy Turpin's home at 2531 Sixth St. N.E. about 5:30 p.m. and began arguing with him through the screen door. Munson and Smith both came inside without permission as the argument escalated and began punching Turpin, causing him to fall back on the couch where the two small children were seated, according to police. The children were not injured.Turpin and witnesses told officers that Munson and Smith came back to the house later in the evening with approximately 15 other people trying to instigate another fight, police said.According to arrest reports, Smith pulled a gun and pointed it in Turpin's face while Munson pointed a gun at Turpin's mother. During this time, both children were still inside the home.When officers arrived, Munson, Smith and the others they brought with them ran from the house, police said.Officers arrested Smith and Munson on charges of burglary of a dwelling with aggravated assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.They are being held in the Polk County Jail without bail.

[ Clifford Parody can be reached at clifford.parody@theledger.com or 863-802-7516. ]